The City of Kigali held a series of high-level engagements on Wednesday, December 10, bringing together international visitors, national institutions, and local leaders to assess progress in urban transformation and address persistent social challenges affecting residents.
The Vice Mayor in charge of Urbanization and Infrastructure, Fulgence Dusabimana, received a delegation from Zambia’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development. Their discussions focused on Kigali’s rapid transformation journey, touching on sustainable city planning, infrastructure development, land management, and policy approaches guiding road networks and human settlements.
The Zambian delegation also visited the Mpazi Informal Settlement Upgrading Project, where they gained firsthand insight into the city’s commitment to inclusive development and improved living conditions for low-income communities.
At the same time, the City of Kigali convened its Joint Coordination Meeting, bringing together leaders from different sectors and development partners to review progress in addressing key social issues affecting families.
The meeting was chaired by the City Mayor, Samuel Dusengiyumva, alongside the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Consolee Uwimana.
Participants identified several challenges that continue to require urgent attention, including rising alcohol abuse, increasing school dropout rates, persistent hygiene and sanitation concerns, child stunting, cases of child sexual abuse, and growing reports of domestic violence against men.
Officials emphasized the need for stronger inter-institutional collaboration, ensuring that issues which cannot be resolved at the community level are escalated to higher authorities for timely action. Additional strategies include expanding community outreach, prioritizing the seriousness of reported cases, and strengthening the capacity of grassroots leaders—particularly village-level leadership—through continuous training.
Together, the discussions underscored Kigali’s dual approach: advancing modern, sustainable urban development while ensuring that social wellbeing and the protection of families remain central to the city’s agenda.
